U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced he had cut environmental policy rules put in place during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Duffy said he “slashed” a greenhouse gas emission (GHG) regulation that would have required state transportation departments to establish processes for measuring and reducing carbon dioxide emissions on federally supported highways. Duffy said the rule raised project costs and diverted resources away from highway construction to “irrelevant emissions targets.”
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are going to build great, big, beautiful things again. I slashed this ridiculous climate requirement to ensure no radical political agenda gets in the way of revitalizing America’s highways,” Duffy said.
The rule had been rescinded during the first Trump Administration but was reinstated by the Biden Administration. Duffy said his actions build on his efforts to rescind “woke” policies, while rolling back burdensome and costly regulations.
Industry groups approved of the move.
“AASHTO appreciates the US Department of Transportation’s action to repeal a performance measure rule that was considered by Congress as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act negotiations in 2021 and was ultimately excluded from enacted legislation,” AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon said. “The state DOTs look forward to working with USDOT on implementing existing national-level performance measures approved by law in 2012 for safety, pavement, bridge, and system performance.”
The move was also applauded by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).
“ARTBA members commend Transportation Secretary Duffy and President Trump for ending an unnecessary, ideologically driven mandate that would have placed new burdens on mobility solutions,” ARTBA president and CEO Dave Bauer said. “Repealing the GHG rule removes a regulatory burden that would have increased project costs and imposed Washington, D.C., priorities on state transportation decisions.”